Browse Data and Analysis

South Africa is experiencing significant scheduled power outages, known as loadshedding, to share the limited available energy supply and protect the integrity of the power grid. In 2022 power outages were implemented more than 200 times. Although...

Corn production in MY2022/23 is revised up slightly based on National Bureau of Statistics data indicating a better harvest in the North China Plain which more than offset smaller yields in the northeast.

South Africa’s grain production is off to a decent start in marketing year 2022/23. Above-average rains over most parts of the summer rainfall production area during November and December enhanced crop plantings and provided conducive growing conditions.

On January 11, 2023, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) National Health Commission (NHC) released an updated Catalog of National Food Safety Standards. The updated list contains 1,478 standards covering food products, additives, quality specifications, testing methods, and production practices. This report provides an unofficial translation of the Catalogue.

On September 20, 2022, the China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA), the National Health Commission (NHC), and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly published Announcement No. 594 containing the National Food Safety Standard of Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for 41 Veterinary Drugs in Foods (GB 31650.1-2022) and 21 standards of methods for determination of veterinary drug residues.

On January 13, 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) published a finalized updated “Guideline for Safety Assessment of Genetically Modified Plants.”

After several years of consistent growth, China’s citrus production in marketing year (MY) 2022/23 is expected to remain steady as the market deals with continuing COVID challenges, unfavorable weather, and phytosanitary issues.

Numerous fast-food restaurants in South Africa have announced supply shortages of bone-in chicken products, with KFC closing 70 restaurants. Although loadshedding, or rolling blackouts, have been blamed for the shortage, record-low imports in the later half of 2022 driven by high tariffs are certainly a significant factor.

The Central Rural Work Conference (CRWC), which was held on December 23-24, 2022, reiterates the existing People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) priorities of ensuring food security and improving grain production capacity.

On January 13, 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) announced the issuance of new and renewed biosafety certificates for genetically engineered (GE) events.

China will continue to collect countervailing (CVD) and antidumping (AD) duty duties on imported Distiller’s Dried Grains with or without Solubles (DDGS) from the United States for five more years.

In 2021, COVID-19 control measures severely impacted imported and cold chain food products, while travel restrictions put hotels under significant financial stress. In December 2022, China announced changes to its pandemic response policy, signaling a shift that removes previous restrictions that impacted food and agricultural trade and marketing.